Lawmaker will remove provision allowing college students to carry guns on campus from proposed bill

ATLANTA | A key Georgia lawmaker says a provision that would have allowed students to carry weapons on public college campuses will be dropped from a revised gun bill expected to be introduced soon.

Rep. John Meadows, chair of the House Rules Committee, said in an interview Thursday that the bill will instead focus on enhancing reporting of the mentally ill and empowering local school districts to arm employees if they wish.

Last year’s bill that would have expanded gun rights on public college campuses and in churches ultimately failed amid objection from university system officials.

Meadows says a potential compromise that would have given university presidents the option of allowing guns didn’t pass legal review. Meadows says “the power designated to the General Assembly can’t be given to the university presidents.”